Hi,
Here is a string of emails I submitted to National Platinum that should more than explain my situation. There may also be some tips in here for others that have been victimized by this company.
*And to National Platinum company reps... Don't even bother with one of your idiotic rebuttals! There are far too many people reporting the same problems with this company for you to try and explain it away or even hint at blaming them! You work for a crooked company and karmic payback is a b! Tch that you will suffer for defending them!!! I read your T&C and see that you want a copy of a drivers license, social security card or notorized signature statement faxed to you in order to cancel enrollment and receive a refund of fees. FunnY... You didn't need any of this documentation to enroll your victims! Ha! Like I'm going to share anymore of my private info with YOU! Gimme a break!!! AND THE REQUEST FOR CANCELLATION OF ENROLLMENT AND REQUEST FOR REFUND MUST BE MADE WITHIN 20 DAYS OF SUBMITTING THE ONLINE APPLICATION. Ah, yes... But it takes 30 days for you to credit the account with the refund! Truly amazing... it takes you all that time to return the money that you steal from people's accounts who haven't even received access to your services and some of them don't even know within 20 days that you've stolen their money!!! Yea, that's one fine organization that you work for!!! *
~
Email #1:
8/13/06
Hello:
Effective immediately, cancel my 'enrollment/membership/authorization' to
any and all programs that I am listed for with your company. Your company is affiliated with an online loan company that is participating in unscrupulous business practices by linking with other companies like your own, signing customers up for products and services they have not requested, and selling information. I have been signed up for programs/products/services that I did not request, including yours, and have been flooded with emails, cell calls and several charges to my account. I will not do business with anyone affiliated with this company or any of its subsidiaries.
Upon review of my account, I see that I have been billed 49.95 by your company. Again, I did not authorize this transaction, nor have I received any card or correspondence from you. It took a lengthy search to discover that you are a catalogue credit company and to obtain your contact information, and that many people have experienced similar problems with your company.
I insist that the charges made to my account, including the $49.95 'authorized' transfer dated 8/11/06, and any additional charges to my account be returned immediately.
I have contacted my bank and my account is being closely monitored for any activity that was not authorized by me. I am fully prepared to take action against you if
you do not reverse the charges that you have already submitted to my account, as well as any future charges that appear on my account.
Please note that should you send me any mail, cards or merchandise, it will be considered unsolicited and will either be returned "RETURN TO SENDER - UNSOLICITED MERCHANDISE' or automatically become mine to keep at no charge. Should you attempt to charge my account for any further merchandise or services you are then in violation of Title 39, United States Code, Section 3009. That section of the Postal Reorganization
Act of 1970 incorporates these protections for American consumers and makes the mailing of unordered merchandise unfair methods of competition and unfair trade
practices under the law.
Furthermore, do not even THINK of testing me by sending further cards, services or merchandise or charging my account any further money. I WILL take action against
you through whatever avenue is available to me, beginning with my bank, the United States Postal Service, the FTC, the Attorney General, the Better Business Bureau... And whoever else would be interested in your unsavory business practices. I am fully
aware of numerous complaints against your company for similar activity, and have their contact information to engage in a collective action against you. You are
messing with the wrong person!!!
I expect your full and immediate attention and resolution to this matter.
Sincerely,
O
Email #2:
One additional point... You use a photograph of a Visa card on your website. Although you state in fine print that you are not affiliated with Visa, there are also laws regarding truth in advertising and I am certain that Visa and the FTC would be very interested in your misleading advertising by using this image on your website!
O
Email #3:
Yet another interesting discovery... I just attempted to log on to your catalogue site and entered my email address and a password that I commonly use, and received a message that my email is an invalid address. Obviously then, I am NOT in your system as
a member of your service. And yet, when I attempted a test by entering the initial information into your main website, I receive a message that I AM already a member!
It would appear that you are billing accounts prior to making your services available to the public, providing them with a card, mailing them information about your program, or even providing sufficient contact information to your company. Legitimate companies
do not engage in the sort of business practices that you partake in!
O
*Note: all these emails are being saved and may be used in future action against
you.
~
Sorry for the formatting... A result of cut & paste from my emails and I can't fix it. I hope this information is helpful to others who are going through a similar situation with this company. Please feel free to use any of the above info in your dealings with them. I'll provide any updates. Also, please note the following directly from their T&C:
Cancellation Policy: Once Applications have been submitted online: Once the application process has been completed and the applicant has agreed to the online "Terms and Conditions", we are unable to stop the automated transaction and cancel the application process.
You must contact our customer service department by telephone only at 704-525-3880 within twenty (20) calendar days from the time your application was submitted and notify us that you would like to cancel your application.
The application fee is non-refundable. [$9.95]
If all terms & conditions are met, we will refund your processing fee only. [$40.00]
Fraud Resolution:
As a matter of policy, we cooperate fully with all law enforcement agencies in the pursuit of fraud, with regard to the unauthorized use of information in order to apply for this membership. If you believe your account was fraudulently charged for the application and processing fee, we will make every effort to aid in a resolution. Before we can take any action, please fax or mail a copy of the official report filed with your local Police or law enforcement agency detailing the suspected fraudulent act, have the investigating officer contact our office at (704) 525-3880 and also a copy of the portion of your account statement showing the date and amount of the withdrawal. Fax: (704) 525-3886. The Computer's IP address is recorded when application for membership is applied for.
Before you apply, you must state that you have read, understand and agree to all of the terms & conditions contained in this website. The following refund policy will be strictly adhered to. There will be no exceptions to this policy. You may receive a refund of your processing fee, ($40.00) subject to the following terms & conditions, by contacting our refund department between the hours of 9 A.M. And 6 P.M. (EST) Monday through Friday, excluding holidays and making a refund request. This may be done by telephone only at 704-525-3880.in addition to your refund request, you will receive an email with your Refund Verification Form within two (2) business days of the date of your request; all sections of the form must be completed and signed by the account holder of record. The Refund Verification Form must be faxed back to us at (704) 525-3886 in order for the refund process to begin, with documentation of your signature, i.E. Copy of Drivers License, Social Security card or your signature notarized. This request must be made by the account holder of record only and will be verified by us. No other person may request a refund for you. This request must be received by us within 20 days of submitting your online application. We must also be able to verify that the funds have been received by us prior to granting any refund.
*Hmmm...?"Once the application process has been completed and the applicant has agreed to the online "Terms and Conditions", we are unable to stop the automated transaction and cancel the application process." Does anyone else see a contradiction in this statement? If the application process has been completed, how COULD they cancel the application process? Since I am not listed as a member on their catalogue page, since I never received a card, member or user #, ability to access any of their services, and since I never received any correspondence from them... I would say that my application process has not been completed. Looks like I'll just have to go after the full $49.95!!!
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